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Cross-examination
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to implement sections 40 and 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. [97408]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Sections 34-40 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provide protection for witnesses from cross-examination by the accused in person. Sections 41-43 provide restrictions on evidence or questions about the complainant's sexual history in proceedings for sexual offences. Rules of Court will be required to govern procedures relating to applications made under both these sets of provisions, and these are currently being prepared with a view to implementation in Spring 2000.
Police Firearms
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the past five years a Metropolitan Police vehicle has been damaged consequent to the firing of police small arms during an operation; and if he will make a statement. [97407]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The Metropolitan Police Commissioner tells me that the information requested is not recorded centrally.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the past five years a firearm held by a Metropolitan Police officer has been fired accidentally in an operational situation; and if he will make a statement. [97398]
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Mr. Charles Clarke:
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner tells me that since 1994, there have been six occasions when a firearm has been discharged accidentally by a Metropolitan Police officer, when employed on an operation.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to consult on proposals for a new criminal offence of corporate manslaughter; and if he will make a statement. [97217]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
We are considering what action to take in the light of the Law Commission's report on Involuntary Manslaughter which includes proposals in relation to corporate manslaughter. We will make our proposals known shortly.
Mr. John M. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on plans for an upper age limit for lay visitors within the area of the West Midlands Police Authority. [97216]
Mr. Charles Clarke:
Lay visiting is the responsibility of individual police authorities and each scheme must evolve to suit local circumstances. The West Midlands Police Authority began introducing an upper age limit of 70 for lay visitors from October 1998.
Current Home Office guidance to police authorities on lay visiting makes no reference to age limits. However, the separate guidance issued for the Metropolitan Police area states that persons who are under the age of 18 or over the age of 70 will not normally be appointed. All this Home Office guidance, which is advisory, is shortly to be reviewed and the arguments for and against age limits will be considered as part of that process.
Mr. Coaker:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his plans for publishing on the Internet further draft statutory instruments to be made under the Data Protection Act 1998. [97886]
Mr. Straw:
Drafts of a further six statutory instruments will be published on the Internet at www.homeoffice.gov.uk on Tuesday 9 November. I am also placing copies in the Library.
Internal Histories
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those internal histories (a) commissioned under his Government and (b) currently in progress. [95307]
The Prime Minister:
No central record is required for histories commissioned by Departments for their own purposes. Two internal histories have been commissioned since the General Election and work on them is under way. It is the established practice under section 10 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to a planned or
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 423
potential publication. After completion, consideration will be given on an individual basis under the Public Records Acts for their release to the Public Record Office.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister what official records are kept of attendance by Government Ministers at Bilderberg meetings. [95784]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 20 May 1999, Official Report, column 402. Records of meetings attended by Government Ministers are not held centrally.
Mr. Trend:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 20 October 1999, Official Report, column 435, what the basis was for his statement that the average pensioner is currently receiving more than if pensions had been indexed to earnings. [96031]
The Prime Minister:
In the first three years of this Parliament, pensioners will have received an extra £1.6 billion through the new Winter Fuel Payments and the introduction of the Minimum Income Guarantee. This is more than twice the amount that pensioners would have received from uprating the basic state pension in line with earnings rather than prices.
As well as being worth more than uprating, our policies for pensioners strike a better balance between benefiting all pensioners and getting more help to those in greatest need. The £100 Winter Fuel Payment goes to every pensioner household, regardless of their income. The Minimum Guarantee means even more help for pensioners on low incomes.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister what has been the annual salary of each special adviser employed at 10 Downing Street for each year since 1 May 1997. [96875]
The Prime Minister:
Special Advisers are paid individually negotiated salaries within a published pay range as follows:
| Salaries | |
|---|---|
| 1997-1998 | £24,349 to £73,484 |
| 1998-1999 | £26,000 to £76,056 |
| 1999-2000 | £26,728 to £78,186 |
| Salaries | |
|---|---|
| 1997-1998 | £87,936 |
| 1998-1999 | £91,014 |
| 1999-2000 | £93,562 |
8 Nov 1999 : Column: 424
Animal Welfare
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 26 July 1999, Official Report, column 29, on animal welfare, if the inter-departmental minister group on animal welfare has now been established; if he will list its membership; and if he will set out its terms of reference. [96496]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 November 1999]: Work is under way and continuing on the establishment of inter-departmental ministerial group on animal welfare and an announcement will be made shortly.
Media Briefings
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister under what circumstances Permanent Secretaries are permitted to brief the media personally. [96712]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 November 1999]: Permanent Secretaries may brief the media on their official responsibilities and they have often done so in relation to their management roles.
Press Secretary
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if the Press Secretary to the Prime Minister can issue instructions to departmental heads of information. [96339]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 November 1999]: My Chief Press Secretary is appointed under Article 3(3) of the Civil Service (Amendment) Order in Council 1997, which provides him with the necessary executive powers to direct civil servants as appropriate.
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates on which the Press Secretary to the Prime Minister has met departmental heads of information since 1 May 1997. [96337]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 November 1999]: My Chief Press Secretary has set up a system of weekly co-ordination meetings between No. 10 and heads of departmental planning units and in addition holds strategy meetings periodically with heads of information to ensure effective co-ordination and presentation of Government policy.
Chinese President (State Visit)
Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason Rupert Murdoch was invited to lunch at 10 Downing Street on the occasion of the visit there of President Jiang Zemin; if Tibet was discussed at that meeting; and if he will make a statement. [96340]
The Prime Minister [holding answer 2 November 1999]: Mr. Murdoch was one of a number of business people with interests in China invited to the lunch. On my discussions with President Jiang Zemin about Tibet, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Stevenson) on 1 November 1999, Official Report, column 4.
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